Customer Reviews

Arthur the King

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Prior has always mixed a bit of rock in with her folk and celtic songs, but rarely as skillfully as this. The title song cycle tells the story of Arthur, not the familiar figure of Camelot but closer to the true legend, a gritty, brutal and considerably earthier story. The music that supports it is an atmospheric blend of natural instruments mixed with sythns that creates mental images of brooding moors and violent pagan battles. In less capable hands it could have come off as yet another new age triffle, and indeed the lyrics at times are a bit clumsy. But Prior's powerful voice controls the proceedings, giving it emotional depth that cannot be dismissed. As for the rock quoient, "Tribal Warriors" is a new classic that will definitely join the celtic rock hall of fame. Crank it!

I really liked Ravenchild, but this CD surpasses that. The King Arthur cycle is just great. The track "Tribal Warriors" is one of the most purely exciting songs I think I have heard.

Maddy Prior's latest album is one glorious work.

It starts with a ten part song cycle about Arthur - based as much upon history as upon legend. Maddy has been doing song cycles for the last few albums, mostly quite successfully. The best of them is probably Dramatis Personae, from her album Flesh and Blood. Arthur the King is... not the best of these cycles, but far from bad music.

The individual songs are every single one of them good or better - my personal favourite is the opening "The Name of Arthur" which is a rather musing complaint about the rash of people using his story in their own interpretations, but "Venturae Remembering", the old women's telling of the last days of Roman England and the invasion of the Saxons, deserves note, with its layered harmony, as does the savage rock piece, "Tribal Warriors", and "Sentry", which incorporates a hymn to great effect.

My complaint about the song sycle, in fact, is that while the parts are definitely up to her usual high calibre, the songs do not seem to work together as well as they did in previous song-cycles. The first and last of the "Hallows" pieces, used to bridge the other songs together, are decent, but the two middle pieces seem too wispy, too new-agey.

There are also five stand-alone tracks at the end, mostly traditional, but including the original "Hail the Ball" about a barbaric game tradition. Hail is a great deal of fun, a lively rock-like beat. Lord Marlborough is too gung-ho jingoist in the lyrics, but is musically good.

But my alltogether favourite piece is the closing. Maddy has done a few versions of "The Lark in the Morning" through her career, and I have found that some versions, by her and by others, just didn't capture the right feeling - but this one is delicate, gentle, and purely beautiful, very reminiscent of the early hours, rising and saying farewell to a lover for the day.

A bit of a disappointment. Haven't heard Maddy minus Steeleye Span. As a result, was less than impressed with the 'small' sound of the material. Some interesting tracks; easy listening but overall, not a completely satisfactory selection.